What Hurts the Most
by goldpiece
Summary: Brennan overhears a conversation that solidifies in her mind how Booth feels about her.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: This was inspired by a really pretty song I heard on the radio today, Rascal Flatt's 'What Hurts the Most'. The chorus in the song touched me and I just had to write something. If you've never heard the song, then I recommend listening to it. This is kind of bittersweet, so it's possible you might need some tissues. I know it made me choke up just reading it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and as always I look forward to your comments._

Temperance sat amongst the boxes in her apartment as she finished up her packing. She looked around and couldn't believe that this would be her last day here. There were so many memories of late nights and take out, memories of her father and brother, and now she'd be making memories somewhere else.

She glanced at the ring on her finger and smiled. She never considered marriage in the past, but her mind was changed by the persistence of her fiancé, the love of her life. Temperance couldn't believe how happy she was. The emotion was so intense that it hurt sometimes.

Slowly, Brennan stood and cracked her back before heading to her desk to check it one more time for any forgotten papers or books. As she opened some of the drawers, she came across her voice recorder. Frowning, she pressed play and wondered when it was she'd brought it home with her.

Listening to the dictation on the recording, she realized it was from a case she'd closed a month earlier. As she was about to turn the recording off, a quiet conversation on the device caught her attention.

"_Booth, how're you doing man?"_

"_Garreth, I didn't think you'd be here. Don't you have some pots or bowls to look over?"_

"_Come on man, give it a rest. Actually I just stopped by to see if Tempe was available for lunch. Have you seen her?"_

"_Bones is with Zack looking at a bone bump or something. Oh, and no can do on the lunch. She's coming with me to talk to our suspect."_

"_Why does she need to go? Isn't that your part of the job?" Booth chuckled at the words from the other man._

"_One thing you need to learn is that you never tell Bones what she can or can't do. If she doesn't want to go with me, then fine, enjoy your lunch. I'd just leave it up to her though."_

"_Leave it up to her? How is it that you're telling me to give her a choice when you never do yourself? You always just barrel in and dictate what she can or can't do."_

"_That's not true. I don't barrel in."_

"_But you decide whether or not she does something."_

"_The thing about us is that I know her, and I know her well. Even if I'm persistent, if she wants something done a certain way, that's how it'll be done. She comes with me because she wants to." _There was silence on the recorder, and Temperance was about to turn it off when the conversation started up again.

"_Hey Booth, can I ask you something?"_

"_What could you possibly ask me that Bones can't tell you herself?"_

"_Why is it if you're so in love with her that you never made a move on her?"_ Brennan felt her heart pounding at the words. He couldn't love her, could he? She shook her head at the irrational thoughts there. She was with Garreth, and they were happy, and she was going to get married. Booth was just a friend, and always had been.

"_Why do you think I'm in love with her?"_ Yes Garreth, why do you think he's in love with me? Temperance turned up the volume on the recorder to hear the conversation better.

"_I'm not blind Booth. Anyone can see how you feel about her. You'd have to be blind not to notice the way you look at her. So I ask you again, why did you never get involved?"_

"_What does it matter? You're the one she's with, not me."_

"_I don't know. I guess I just don't want any competition."_

"_Competition for what?"_

"_Tempe and I have been seeing each other for a year now, and I just want to know where you stand. I think it's time for her and I to take the next step in our relationship, and I don't want anyone trying to stonewall us."_

"_Let's get one thing straight here buddy. My greatest wish is for Temperance's happiness. She's happy with you. As a matter of fact I've never seen her so happy in the years that I've known her. I don't think that I could ever have made her feel the way you do, so believe me when I say that so long as you keep her happy, you'll have my support."_

"_Thanks Booth."_

"_But if you stop making her happy, you'd better watch your back." Garreth laughed at the words._

"_Point taken."_

"_So, what is this next step you're thinking of? You gonna ask her to move in or something?"_

"_Nah, it's something a little more permanent than that. I'm gonna ask her to marry me."_ There was another pause on the tape. This time however, Brennan held her breath and wondered what Booth was going to say.

"_If she says no, don't make the same mistake I did with my ex. Don't withdraw from her. Bones isn't interested in marriage, and if she says no, it doesn't mean she doesn't love you."_ Brennan's eyes pricked with tears as she glanced down at her ring one more time. It meant so much more now that Booth had approved. Since the engagement, neither of them spoke about it. It seemed to be a taboo subject between the two of them, and until now, she didn't know why.

"_I love her too much to do that."_

"_So do I."_ That one sentence stole her breath away. Suddenly there was a thousand things that she wanted to say, a thousand thoughts she should have had years before, but it was too late.

A sound in the hallway startled her, and she turned off the voice recorder and wiped at the moisture accumulating in her eyes. When she looked up at the doorway, Booth stood there studying her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hey Bones, the living room's all taken care of. Do you want me to help get these boxes in the truck?"

"No, it's okay, I think I can manage."

"Then I'm gonna head out. Rebecca called earlier and needs someone to watch Parker."

"Okay. Tell Parker I said hello."

"I will." Booth turned to leave and Brennan hurried after him. As he reached the front door, she touched his arm and watched him stiffen slightly at the touch. It was only momentary, and when he turned around, that unreadable expression was back on his face.

"Booth?"

"Yeah Bones?" She surprised him by pulling him into a hug and kissing him gently on the cheek.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me trust you." Their eyes met and in that moment she knew everything. She could see the love in his eyes, mixed a little with regret. A thousand missed moments replayed in her mind as he pulled away from her and opened the front door of her apartment.

"You're welcome Temperance." He offered her a brief smile and squeezed her shoulder before he left the apartment for the last time. He glanced back once and moved to the side as Garreth rounded the corner and came to her. She watched him until he stepped on the elevator and the doors closed, taking him from her.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Brennan glanced at her fiancé, who was looking at her with concern.

"I'm fine." She smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes.

"And you're happy?"

"I am." Temperance looked once more at the elevator doors before stepping out of Garreth's embrace and taking his hand in hers.

_What hurts the most  
Was being so close  
And having so much to say  
And watching you walk away  
And never knowing  
What could have been  
And not seeing that loving you  
Is what I was tryin' to do_


	2. Chapter 2

"Why did it have to be him Booth? Why did he have to be taken from me?" Temperance sat on the couch in her house as the last of her guests left. She hated funerals, didn't see the point of them, but Garreth insisted on the whole ceremony.

"It just happens Bones. There's no rhyme or reason for why someone so young is taken, but it happens, you know?" Temperance leaned into Booth's shoulder and closed her eyes. The last week had been a long one, and for once it was nice not to see the pity in her friends' eyes. Booth wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his side, comforting her more with a simple hug than from any of the words she'd heard during the past week.

"But why did that cancer have to progress so quickly? He was fine a month ago. I didn't have enough time with him."

"Hey, you had six incredible years with Garreth, and look what you've gotten out of the relationship. You wouldn't have that beautiful little girl of yours if it weren't for him. Look at all of the traveling the two of you did. How many archaeological sites did you work along side of him?"

"Three."

"And would you have gone off to those digs if he wasn't going too?"

"No. I would have been in DC working cases with you."

"Yeah, but you know, you need a break from death and murder every now and then."

"You don't take breaks."

"I kind of can't Bones, it comes with the territory." Booth smiled a little and neither spoke for a long time, enjoying the silence in the room. After a while Brennan looked over at Booth and noticed him staring off into space.

"Are you sure you don't mind taking Christy Jo for the night? Shouldn't she be here with me?"

"I know you Bones. You need time to yourself, even if that means it's away from your daughter. You know Mariana doesn't mind her being over, and anyway Taylor can keep her company."

"Thank you Booth, really."

"Anytime Temperance." Booth pulled away from her and got up off of the couch. He stretched and strode into the hallway on the way to Christy's room. Christy was playing there with Booth's daughter, Taylor.

Brennan leaned forward and put her face into her hands. The last month of her life had been hell, what with her own husband's incredibly fast demise, and the only light point was Booth's constant companionship. He'd been her rock much more so than Angela. She thought back five years, just before she and Garreth married. That was when she found out Booth's true feelings for her, but by then it was too late. They were too late to have their moment.

Shortly after she married Garreth, Booth began to see his wife, Mariana. The woman was younger than him and Brazilian, but her feisty attitude was exactly what Booth needed in his life. When she found out she was pregnant, Booth proposed and this time, his proposal was accepted.

"Okay Bones, I'll have Christy back here tomorrow afternoon. You sure you'll be alright by yourself?" Booth came back into the room with the two little girls and their pink 'Dora' backpacks.

"Didn't you just tell me that I need time to myself?"

"I'm serious Temperance."

"I'll be fine, I promise. Go have fun with the girls." She smiled as her own daughter ran up to her and gave her a big hug.

"Don't be sad mommy. Daddy's waiting for us in heaven." Christy looked at her mother solemnly as she said that words. Brennan shook her head a bit and smiled at the three year old.

"Did Uncle Booth tell you that?" She looked up at him and noticed he shook his head no.

"Daddy told me before he left with the angels."

"Oh. Well I'm sure he is waiting for us then." Brennan gave her daughter a kiss and ruffled her daughter's hair. "You have fun with Taylor and Uncle Booth, okay?"

"'Kay mommy." Christy hugged Brennan one last time and skipped over to her little friend. Booth shouldered the two pink backpacks and herded the girls over to the door.

"Mari said she'd stop by later and bring over some dinner."

"She doesn't have to do that you know."

"I know, but you know how she is. I find it best to just go with the flow once she sets her mind to something." Booth offered her a wink and stepped out of the apartment, the two girls in front of him. As he was about to shut the door, Brennan called him back. He looked back in at her, his eyebrows up.

"Thank you Booth."

"You're welcome Temperance." He turned to leave once more.

"Booth?"

"Yeah Bones?"

"Would you have made me happy?" Booth sighed and looked directly at Temperance.

"I think I could have, but not nearly so happy as Garreth made you. You and Christy were that man's whole world."

"I just wish you'd maybe said something to me, you know?"

"Do you really? If I had, we don't know what would have happened, and you certainly wouldn't have had the last five years. I'm not saying that I don't regret never telling you, but you were happy."

"Yes, but I wouldn't hurt so much now." Booth ushered the girls back into the apartment and sat down next to Brennan one more time.

"Don't trivialize five years of wonderful memories for a little bit of pain. The hurt will go away, and then you'll have nothing but good memories left."

"I don't want memories Booth, I want Garreth." Booth pulled her into his embrace once more and cradled her head to his shoulder.

"I know Bones, I know."


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure you're okay? I can have Christy sleep with me tonight," Temperance asked Booth as they sat together on her sofa. She'd never seen her partner look so dejected in his life, and ached to make him feel better somehow. She hadn't expected the news he'd given her when he showed up on her doorstep, and by the looks of him, he hadn't expected it either.

"No, I'll be fine on the couch."

"You're sure? I don't want you to throw out your back again."

"Bones, I'll be fine, really. I just need to be away from home right now." Booth blew out a breath and leaned his head back on the couch. After four years of marriage, something in which he thought was supposed to last forever; it was all crumbling around him. Temperance watched him, noting the weariness that seemed to have aged her partner overnight. Though he was still fit and as active as he ever was, the hair at his temples was beginning to gray. It added a distinguished look to him, but at this moment, only added to his overall weariness.

"Did Mari say why she wanted the divorce?" He shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Not really. There was something about how we went into the relationship too quickly. I think in reality she just freaked out a little bit."

"And you don't think that marrying her after you found out she was pregnant was too fast?" Booth frowned and picked up his head to look at his partner. The last year had been tough on her with the death of her husband. She'd floundered so much and began shutting herself off to the world, turning back into the woman she was when he'd first met her. That was one thing he refused to allow for her. Temperance was such a caring woman that to have her retreat into herself like that was unacceptable. Not only would she have hurt herself, but she would have hurt her daughter as well.

"I wanted to marry Rebecca regardless of her pregnancy, and I don't see how this is any different." Brennan cocked her head to the side as she regarded her partner.

"Yes, but would you have asked Mari if she wasn't pregnant?"

"Why are you questioning my relationship with my wife? We met, we had a connection and we got married. Taylor is a wonderful result of that."

"And Taylor would have been around regardless of whether or not you married he mother."

"Don't trivialize my marriage like this Bones." There was a warning tone to his voice, something that Brennan hadn't heard from him in a long time. She raised her eyebrows a little and leaned back from him. Hostility certainly wasn't the response she was looking for. "I'm not going to let you treat me like one of your studies."

"I certainly wasn't trying to imply that I was analyzing you. I'm just trying to understand why Mariana would want to divorce you for no apparent reason. You'd only been dating for a few months when she got pregnant, and she doesn't strike me as the type to say yes if she didn't mean it."

"Of course she meant it." There was a level of uncertainty to his tone that sparked Brennan's curiosity. It wasn't like Booth to be unsure about things. "It's just that…" He sighed again and got up off the couch. As he began to pace the room, Brennan watched him. Clearly he was more agitated by the situation than he let on.

"It's just what?" He turned to face his partner, ready to rail on her if needed, but only saw a concerned sort of curiosity on her face.

"She said that over the last year I haven't been there for her, and she wondered whether or not I was having an affair. She wanted to know if I was cheating on her Bones. Why on earth would she think that? She knows I would never do that." He huffed and continued pacing, his hands at his waist.

"I'm not sure I would understand what would make her feel that way. You've always been there for her."

"I know I have, and I told her that, but she just sort of… laughed about it. She said that I hadn't truly been there for her in quite a while, that my heart was obviously somewhere else, and if I wasn't sleeping with someone else, then I was still cheating on her emotionally. She figured that we got married too quickly and maybe it would have been better if we hadn't made that commitment."

"That sounds like quite a lot more than her thinking you married too quickly. What did you respond with?"

"I said that I never did anything without meaning it." Brennan shook her head and stood up from the couch. While she was still horrible at reading other people, there was one person she was completely attuned to, regardless of the fact that she'd refused in the past to acknowledge what she saw from them. Booth was denying something about his life that he seemed to not be aware of.

"And you meant to marry her regardless of her pregnancy I'm sure. Look, why don't you get some sleep and we'll talk more about this in the morning, okay? Angela's taking Christy to the beach so I'll be yours all day." She approached him and kissed his cheek. Booth reached up a hand to touch the spot as she walked away from him and toward her bedroom.

Of course he would have asked Mari to marry him. They had a connection. After Temperance and Garreth were engaged, he'd given up on the thought that they could ever be together. He met his wife shortly after the wedding, and she was a breath of fresh air to the gloom settling over his life. She made him smile, and laugh like no one but Temperance had been able to do. When she told him that she was pregnant, it was a surprise, but never one to shirk his responsibilities, he asked her to marry him.

"Shit," he muttered and sat back down on the couch. His wife was a great person, and she complemented him in a lot of ways, but the affection he felt for her wasn't what he wanted it to be. Theirs was an easy affection, the type between two people who had a good relationship, but it wasn't the all consuming love that it should be.

Mariana said that over the past year, he'd drifted from her, that he was having an emotional affair. That was ridiculous. He hadn't found anyone new. In fact, the only other person he saw with regularity during that year was his partner…

"Shit." He'd been so blind in his want to be there for Temperance that he'd neglected his wife. What happened next was up to him. His wife deserved to be number one in his life, and not relegated to second because of a friend's need, but could he really provide her with the attention she deserved? It was certainly worth the effort, because regardless of what he felt for his partner, he could put those feelings on the back burner. He had when she began to date Garreth, and he'd kept them locked up for years. He could concentrate on fixing things with his wife. She deserved that much, didn't she? Forever was a hard concept to give up on, especially knowing that he had an out to pursue the woman he'd been in love with for years. But he'd promised forever, and he intended to live up to that promise.


	4. Chapter 4

"I was wondering when you were going to be home." Booth glanced at his wife as he came back in the next morning. She sat on the couch with an unreadable expression as he put his keys away and sat to face her from an easy chair.

"I needed some time to think things over."

"And did you come to your decision?"

"When we got married, we said in our vows that this was for better or for worse. This issue is something that we can work our way through and there's no way it warrants a divorce."

"Your spending all of your spare time with Temperance does warrant a divorce, Seeley."

"I don't know why you think I've cheated on you with Bones, Mari. If I was going to be with her, it would have happened long before you and I got married."

"I don't think you've had sex with her, but you love her much more than Taylor or me." Booth looked at her aghast.

"What? Don't you ever say something like that. I married you, not her, and I could never love anyone more than my kids, you got that?" The two stood facing each other, each wearing an angry expression.

"Then prove it. I want you to prove to me that you love us more." Booth raised his eyebrows. She wanted him to prove that he loved them more?

"That's ridiculous. Why would you want me to do that?"

"If you do what I want you to, then I know that you love us more."

"Mari, I don't know what's gotten into you, but love isn't conditional. Just because you want me to do something doesn't mean it actually proves anything."

"So you aren't willing to save our marriage?"

"I told you I want to work on our problems."

"Then we're moving to Brazil." Booth looked at his wife, trying to decide whether or not she was serious. The look on her face however told him that she was.

"We are not moving to Brazil."

"Why not? You said you wanted to fix our problems."

"And moving halfway around the world isn't going to do it either. Where did this idea come from anyway?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while now."

"At what point were you planning to discuss it with me?"

"We're discussing it now. I want to go back home Seeley and I think that the move could be good for us."

"How could it be good for us when it means giving up everything we have?"

"We wouldn't be giving up anything."

"Oh really? We would have to sell our house, leave our jobs, and I'd be moving away from Parker and my friends. I don't know anyone in Brazil and I certainly don't speak Portuguese."

"So this comes down to what you want."

"No, it's not what I want, it's what we have. Moving out of the country isn't going to solve anything."

"It'll get you away from her!" Marianna covered her mouth after her outburst as Booth opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of the appropriate thing to say.

"So that's what this is about then? You're jealous of Bones because of the time I spend with my partner."

"Why wouldn't I be jealous? More of your time has been spent with her especially over the last year than with me and Taylor. Who is it that's more important to you Seeley, me or your partner?"

"You just don't understand. Bones, she isn't like you and Garreth's death hit her hard. If I didn't stick around her so much she would have retreated back into her shell. I couldn't let her do that."

"She's a grown woman, Seeley. She can take care of herself."

"I wasn't taking care of her…"

"Yes you were! It's what you do and I'm tired of it. You need to choose, it's either her or me. I will not be second anymore."

"I can't do that." The two looked at each other for a long moment before Mari nodded.

"Then it looks like you've made your decision."

XxXxX

Temperance sat at the kitchen table with her daughter Christy as they put together a puzzle. The four year old played with the pieces as her mother put them in place.

"Mommy?" Brenna looked up from the puzzle and at her daughter.

"Yes Christy?"

"Why was Uncle Booth sleeping on the couch this morning?" The anthropologist paused in her work to figure out how to answer the question. While she felt that the truth was important, she wasn't quite sure how phrase the answer.

"He had an argument with his wife and asked if he could stay over."

"They had a fight?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Are they going to say sorry?" Temperance smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair. It never failed to amaze her how children could see everything in black and white. If you got in a fight, you apologize. It was just that simple to them.

"That's why Uncle Booth went back home, so he and Mari could talk."

"Oh, okay. I wish he'd stay here though." Brennan frowned.

"Why is that?"

"Because he's fun and it's like daddy's still here." Temperance's chest tightened just a little bit. She'd not given much thought to how the death of Garreth had affected her daughter. Booth had been around so much since his death that it was as if Christy still had a father around. If things had worked out differently… but it wasn't right to dwell on the what ifs. It certainly wasn't productive in the least and could only really cause regrets.

The knock at her door stopped her from responding as she got up from the table to get the door. She opened the door a crack until she was sure of who was there.

"Booth? I thought you were going to talk to Mari."

"I did." He let out a sad sort of sigh before looking away from Brennan. "I was wondering if Taylor and I could stay here for a few days, just until I can find my own place." Temperance looked around him and saw his own daughter there with him. She stepped aside and let the pair of them in before closing the door and approaching her own child.

"Christy, why don't you go to your room and play with Taylor for a bit." The little girl nodded and headed off with her friend as Brennan joined Booth on the couch. "What happened?"

"Mari felt that the only way we can fix our problems is to move to Brazil." Brennan looked at her partner and could see the anguish and sad determination in his face as he spoke.

"I take it that you're opposed to moving there?"

"Look, if she had brought this up months ago and we'd been discussing it, it would be one thing, but her reason for wanting to go isn't one I could agree to."

"Why does she want to move? I would think it would be a good opportunity for you and Taylor." Brennan asked the question, but deep down she felt that she knew what the answer would be.

"She wants to move to get me away from you. I couldn't do it Bones. I can't just leave you and Parker and my job."

"You shouldn't be considering me into the equation Booth. You have no real ties to me, and I'm sure that something could be arranged for you to still see Parker. Rebecca's been so much more flexible with your parental rights." Seeley took hold of her hand, drawing her attention completely onto him. Her heart ached at the expression on his face, and she held her breath, waiting to hear what he would say next.

"Maybe you shouldn't matter, but you do. I lost my chance years ago because I was too scared that you didn't feel the same about me. I know what I missed out on, and I can't help that I'm still in love with you. Maybe you shouldn't be part of the equation of whether or not I could decide to move, but you are. I can't imagine my life without you in it, even if only as a friend. She's making me choose between my family here and her. I've made my decision." Temperance let out her breath, her chest tightening even more. She'd known for years that Booth loved her, but she'd failed to realize exactly how much he'd felt for her.

"You're staying here." Booth nodded. "Then what's going to happen now?"

"Well, first thing's first, I fight like hell for custody of Taylor. After that, it's up to you. You know how I feel about you, and I just have to know if we'll stay friends or if there's a chance for us to be so much more."


	5. Chapter 5

Temperance sat on a bench outside of the courtroom as she fiddled with the hem of her coat. It was a long road that brought her to this seat as she waited for Booth to get his decision. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, determined to be there for him regardless of the news he received.

Her mind wandered back over the past year and she smiled grimly at what happened at the beginning of the long journey. _She and Booth faced each other on the couch, her mouth opening and closing as she listened to his words. "You know how I feel about you, and I just have to know if we'll stay friends or if there's a chance for us to be so much more."_

"_Booth…We can't." They stared at each other for a long time before he nodded and looked away. Brennan placed a hand on his arm and waited until he turned back around to look at her. Her chest tightened up at the hurt so plainly telegraphing in his expression. "You owe it to both Taylor and Marianna to try and save your marriage. You left here earlier insisting that you were going to work things out, and then come back saying you didn't agree with her reasons for wanting to move. That isn't like you."_

"_She wants to leave the country to keep me away from you, and I just can't do that Bones." The two looked at each other a long time before Temperance sighed and shook her head._

"_I love you, and I think you know that, but I can't allow you throw away the life you've built because of Marianna's concerns about me. You need to work this out, and if it means you've got to leave the country to do it, then so be it."_

"_You're really turning me down?"_

"_I'm sorry, but now isn't the time for this. Work on your marriage, go to counseling if that's what you need to do, but don't just give up on something because of one little disagreement. You know I'll still be here for you. I'm not going anywhere." Temperance reached up and cupped his cheek, her chest tightening at the way he leaned into her touch._

"_It's funny, but I always thought I'd be the one to say that."_

"_Well, things change. You can stay here for now if you must, but you need to work things out Booth. Don't just give up on what you believe in because of me. It's not worth it."_

Temperance sighed and pulled her coat tightly around her as she glanced at her watch. She'd been sitting here for what felt like hours, waiting for whatever news Booth would receive. He had done as she asked and gone back to his wife, though for a while their own relationship suffered.

Even in the beginning when they first became partners, there was never any awkwardness to anything, even their silences. Once she proclaimed that she wouldn't accept his affections, that changed. It took months before they could just sit in a room together and not try to fill the space with something. She watched from the sidelines as he and Marianna went into couples counseling, and after that proved to be unsuccessful then the divorce proceedings truly began.

By law Marianna had to remain in the States until all of the custody issues with Taylor were worked out, and that's why they were in court that day. The judge's final ruling on parental rights was today. Temperance was on edge, waiting for Booth to come out of the courtroom with news of the decision and jumped when her cell phone went off. She reached into her purse, fumbling for it to answer the call.

"Brennan."

"Sweetie, it's me. Listen, it's not that I don't like spending time with Christy or anything, but she's been asking when you'll be back home. Any word yet?"

"Not yet. I'm still waiting. Just tell her I'll be home late this evening and see if she'd be interested in having a sleepover with you. I have a feeling that if this goes badly for Booth, he'll need some company."

"No problem. Just call me when you know anything, okay?"

"I will." They ended the call, and Brennan's attention moved back to the courtroom doors. Why did this have to take so long if it was just a review of their testimony? She blew out a breath and crossed her arms. None of this would have happened if they'd been open enough to each other to admit how they felt all those years ago. She had to admit, when she'd discovered Booth's true feelings by listening to that audio recording, she'd been tempted for a moment to blow off what she had in order to chase him down.

Booth had been right about one thing though. Even with Garreth's untimely death, she didn't regret a moment of their time together. She'd never know what it would have been like to enter into a relationship with Booth, but she knew what she had with her late husband and it had been fantastic.

Her attention was drawn back to the courtroom as the doors swung open and all parties left. Her gaze immediately fell onto Booth, and the ache in her chest left at the smile beaming on his face.

"You got custody?" She wrapped her arms around him, yelping a little in surprise when he lifted her off the ground and tightened his hold on her.

"Primarily, yes. She visits Mari all holidays and school breaks, but I have her the rest of the time."

"I'm happy for you Booth. I know this has been trying on you."

"I don't think any of this would have happened if you hadn't made me go back to Mari." Booth let go of Temperance and offered her his arm as they walked out of the court house and into the bright sunlight. Both turned their faces toward the heat of the sun and smiled.

"So you know why I said what I did?"

"Yes, I do. It hurt, but I understand why you kept your distance."

"Good, so what do you want to do to celebrate?"

"Actually I have a date tonight." Brennan's face fell at the news. It wasn't that he didn't deserve to have a new start with someone, but this was not how she pictured the evening to go.

"Oh? I wasn't aware you were seeing anyone. I mean you've never said anything."

"Well, this is sort of new, a first date actually."

"Where did you meet her?" She watched as a smile bloomed on his face.

"I met her at work. She's amazing Bones, seriously."

"Good for you Booth, really." Well, she at least tried to sound sincere. There was something about the way he was looking at her that made her feel as though she was missing something.

"So, what do you say Temperance? I pick you up at seven; we have dinner, maybe go out dancing? We've waited so long, unless you're not interested?" Brennan looked at Booth, confused. He was talking about her this whole time? She really wanted to be irritated that he would make assumptions about her that way, but the look of vulnerability on his face kept the emotion at bay. Instead, she smiled and clutched at his arm just a little bit tighter.

"Seven o'clock it is."


End file.
